Access to Public Services

Goal: Across the Scottish public sector, information and
services will be accessible to
BSL
users.

Steps that Scottish Ministers will take by 2023 are to:

1. Develop, test and promote a set of guidelines for all
Scottish Public Services to improve access to information and
services for
BSL users. This
will include guidelines on how to ensure that
BSL users can
participate on a fair and equal basis in the design of Scotland's
public services, including providing them with information and
support to do so.

2. Promote use of the Scottish Government service called
contactSCOTLAND-
BSL with public
and third sector organisations and explore the potential for
greater use.

3. Explore how to develop and deliver
BSL awareness and
training that can be accessed quickly across all frontline public
services, including all the services covered in this plan.

4. Consider the need for a comprehensive review of the current
BSL/English
interpreting landscape, including skill levels, training and
regulation. Such a review would develop recommendations aimed at
boosting the profession, and supporting the more efficient delivery
of interpretation services across the public sector, including all
the services covered in this Plan.

5. Explore ways in which
BSL/English
interpreters can develop more advanced skills to work in specific
settings, including the justice and health care systems.

6. Consider where
BSL information
from across the public sector should be located so that
BSL users can
easily find it.

7. Give further consideration to what actions we could take to
ensure that our approach to delivering public services is
person-centred so that
BSL users can
expect greater consistency.

Question 1 - Do you think these are the right steps under
Public Services?

In total, 112 people or groups answered Question 1. Of these,
77% agreed that these are the right steps under Public Services,
13% disagreed, and 11% said they did not know.

Question 2 - Please tell us why you think this.

Question 3 - If there are there any additional steps, or
potential solutions that you think could be added to the Public
Services section, please tell us.

Around 115 people or groups made a written /
BSL comment about
Access to Public Services and it was discussed at around 45
events.

There was a strong view that public services are as essential
for Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users as they
are for the hearing community, and that access can and should be
improved. People felt that the
BSL Community
should be central to this change and help develop new solutions
where difficulties exist. Due to the importance of this issue, it
was felt that clear actions and targets were required so
organisations can be held to account.

There were many experiences of Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users having
difficulty communicating or accessing public-sector services at
present.

Many public-sector services were difficult to find, use and
understand for Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users.

Access to public sector services is a fundamental requirement
and difficulties create an immediate inequality.

There was concern about public sector budget cuts and their
ability to implement the
BSL (Scotland)
Act 2015.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

A common standard should be agreed and monitored across the
public sector to support equal treatment for Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users.

There should be increased opportunities for Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users to be
employed in the public sector to improve both understanding and
response.

BSL / English
interpreters should be available in key public-sector
services.

Public sector records should 'flag' that someone is a Deaf or
Deafblind
BSL user so an
interpreter can be arranged before contact is made.

Video clips, or logos to show translation is available for
Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users should
be used on public sector websites as a matter of course.

Promote the use of contactSCOTLAND-
BSL (Step
2)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

Many individuals were not aware of the contactSCOTLAND-
BSL service, but
there were high levels of support for what it aimed to
achieve.

Support to access social services, health and housing were
considered priorities and where many issues were currently being
experienced.

Those who had used the service felt it was positive but felt
access is reliant on fast broadband and this was an issue in
rural or island communities.

contactSCOTLAND-
BSL relies on
technology and there is concern that older people might not have
access to the necessary equipment.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

That the service should be more widely promoted and
information provided on how it works, the services it covers and
how it can help.

It would be helpful to make clear whether local authority
commissioned services, such as social care, and other important
organisations, like housing associations, are to be
included.

Access issues, including for older people and remote or
island communities, need to be considered.

Develop and improve
BSL training in
the public sector (Step 3)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

There is full support to improve access to both training and
awareness sessions to public sector staff. It is felt that this
would improve both access to and the quality of services for Deaf
/ Deafblind
BSL users.

There is some concern that high levels of staff turnover may
make this difficult to manage

The cost implications for the public sector should be
considered so the goal is realistic. This should however not stop
the training taking place.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

There are real opportunities for the public sector to work in
partnership with Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users in
either paid or voluntary roles and to develop good quality
services for the future.

The key to increasing awareness and achieving change is to
teach children when they are young. This would provide a longer
term positive change instead of addressing issues when and if
they occur.

A full review of
BSL / English
interpretation services (Step 4)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

There was a high level of support for a review of
BSL / English
interpretation services.

A clear and fair route to access
BSL / English
interpreters needs to be established across Scotland.

Awareness and availability differs across Scotland, with some
areas having more services than others. Access to interpretation
services is difficult in rural or remote areas and waiting times
could be long. There were some examples in the islands where
there were no
BSL / English
interpreters at all.

The public sector needs to both understand and acknowledge
its responsibilities regarding interpretation services.

A number of people raised concerns about confidentiality when
using
BSL / English
interpreters and sharing sensitive issue such as bank, insurance
or benefits information.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

BSL / English
Interpretation services should consider faith issues, the public
sector should consider working alongside faith groups to address
this.

BSL / English
Interpretation services need to be available 24 hours a day this
is a specific issue in social care or housing services where
emergencies can occur.

Support interpreters to develop advanced skills when
needed (Step 5)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

The skill level of
BSL / English
interpreters working in the public sector was considered very
important given the role these services have in a person's
life.

The key issue for most is that the
BSL / English
interpretation is accurate, appropriate for the situation and
able to fully represent both emotion and expression.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

Consideration should be given to the use of Deaf Relay
Interpreters (
DRI) where
advanced skills were needed. The
DRI could work
alongside
BSL / English
interpreters with people who are deaf but not fluent in
BSL.

There could be a specific qualification for public sector
BSL / English
interpreters, but care needs to be taken not to reduce the number
of interpreters available.

Ensure
BSL information
across the public sector is easy to find (Step 6)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

Being able to communicate with Social Work, Health, Housing
Services and the Police is seen as vitally important.

People are concerned that Doctors and Dentists would be
reluctant to employ
BSL / English
interpreters as they would have to pay for them.

Some issues had been experienced in accessing emergency or alert
services including 999 calls. Suggestions people made about this
action included:

A common standard for information and communication for Deaf
/ Deafblind
BSL users should
be in established. This would support organisations to meet their
responsibilities under the Equalities Act 2010.

Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users should
be employed within the public sector to help develop appropriate
information and support.

Supporting Deaf / Deafblind
BSL users to
make contact with emergency services should be a priority.

Make public sector services person-centred and consistent
(Step 7)

Comments people or groups made about this step included:

It was agreed a person-centred approach was necessary.

Setting standards for public services and making sure these
are achieved were important for consistency.

Suggestions made or ideas people or groups had included:

A flexible approach should be taken to allow for both individual
and changing needs. This can best be achieved through the raising
of skills regarding
BSL awareness and
communication within the public sector, working alongside the
BSL communities
and supporting increased awareness and a positive change in
culture.